Method of drilling a hole and releasing a pile anchor



' 1,529,084 w. PETERS METHOD OF DRILLING A HOLE AND RELZASING- A FILE ANCHOR March 10, 1925- Filed Dec. 29; 1922 UNITED STATES WALTER M. PETERS, OF LINCOLN, NEBRASKA.

Patented Mar. 10, 1925. i j

PATENT OFFICE.

METHOD or DRILLING A How AND RELsAsINe a 'PILE ,Ancrroa.

Application filed December 29, 1922. Serial No. 609,635.

To ((7. whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WVALTER M. PETERS,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Lincoln, in the county of Lancaster and State of Nebraska, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Methods of Drilling a Hole and Releasing a Pile Anchor, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to piles and anchors of the type which are so constructed that a jet of, water under pressure immediately. beneath the lower end of the pile or anchor cuts out and tears away the soil, permitting the weight of the pile to carry it down into the hole as fast as the hole is out.

In prior devices of this kind two difliculties are frequently encountered, one relating to the waste of materials and-the other to the utter failure of the former methods under certain conditions.

In the former methodsthe pipe'forcarrying the stream of water is either embedded in the concrete pile itself or is carried at the side of the pile and in such intimate relation therewith that there is no possibility of removing the pipe after the pile has been sunk. The great quantity of pipe which each pile carries is thus lost and adds very materially to the cost of the operation. Then too, it is necessary whenever the pile is to be forced through refractory layers in the soil that the lower end of the pile be protected by means of a cap of boiler plate or other extremely hard steel. Because of the high cost of such steel and because the caps .must be made in comparatively small quantities, there is considerable waste from this source, as the caps are not recoverable after the pile has been sunk. v

It has also been found that when the pile in its descent encounters certain layers of soil, as for example layers of gravel, the ordinary method of opening a passage for the pile by means of a jet of water fail because the gravel refuses to be dislodged. One of the usual methods of overcoming this difficulty is to raise the pile to a certain height and then to let it drop. Unless the layer of gravel is too thick, the impact or several such impacts will force the pile through the layer. If on the other hand the layerof gravel is too thick or too firm, the repeated impacts will batter first the boiler plate cap and then thepile itself, so that it is no unusual thing to find a pile in which the lower half has beencrushed into bits on its way' through a layer, of gravel. In brief, the objects ofmy'invention are to provide a structure which includes a protector for the lower end of the pile 'and in whichthe protector as well "as all of the pipes are easily recovered after the pile has been set, the protector being specially dc signed. to facilitate the passage of thepile through refractory soil. f Y

The pile herein referred to may serve as a support for a superstructure and I do not desire to relinquish any of my rights to themethod or the structure when so used, but the immediate purpose of the pile is to make it serve as an anchor for a dike,,breakwater, or other obstruction. and analogous uses will probably be developed during the use of my invention, and I wish it understood that I lay claim to the structure and method regardless of the uses to which they are put.

-Referring. now to the drawings forming part of this application, and in which like reference numerals refer tolike parts in the description, I v Figure 1 is a side elevation of my pipe frame for supporting the, pile, and shows one of the two halves of the frame as it appears before assembling. I

Figure 2 is another side elevation of the same pipe frame as viewed'from the side adjacent the side shown in Figure 1, and

shows the'edgesofboth halves of the frame in theirassembled relation.

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the pipe frame with a concrete pile in place therein. Figure 4 is an edge view of one of the Other similar latching plates and its connection with the frame.

Figure 5 is a face View of the parts shown in Figure 4'. I

Figures 6 and 7 are two-views of the de vice which I use in connection with my pipe frame to protect the pointor 'nose of the pile and to cut through refractory layers of soil in advance of the pile. v

In carrying out my invention, I employ two like frames of the kind shown in Figure 1. Each of these frames has an inside width which is slightly greater than the width of the pile which is to-be sunk. The side edges of the frames are built Yu I of sections 10 of pipe, the sections being 10 aced end to end and connected. by ,means of cross /L, couplings 11. The number and length of the pipesections depends on the length of the pile andfthe depth'to which it is desired to sink the pile, but more particularly on the character of the soil through which the pile is to be driven. Soils like gravel or rock must be forced, and it is obvious that a much more rigid frame is required when such conditions are encountered than when forcing the pile through clay.

Pipe sections 12 of suitable 11', connect the pipe sections 10" in parallel relation and serve also asibraces and as conduitsv for the water which digs the hole in advance of the pile. The uppermost pipe length 12 is provided with a T-joint or 7 coupling 13 for the receptionof' a hose l4 which is connectedw1th a'source of'water under pressure. At'the lower end of each frame are two downwardly extending con-v verging "pipe lengths 15 connected by a Y-shaped coupling 16', the coupling 16 hav ing connected thereto at its lower end a;

nozzle 17.

Two frames as above described and as shown in Figure 1, are locked together-in position on opposite sides of the pileto be sunk. The locking. device is here briefly described, On each ofthecross couplings'll I I secure ashouldered collar 18, and to the yoke" above.

collar 181 pivot a strap 19. The straps have apertures 20 at their free ends, the apertures being in. alignmentwhen the frame is assembled. Pins 21 are provided: for holding the straps together, each pin passing through the apertures of a pair of tion is of course vto cause the pins to withdraw in succession beginning with the lowest pin. I. may however vary this arrangement by rei' ersin-g the lengths of the ,yokes sothat the top pin will withdraw first, or' if desirable Imay dispense with they okes entirely and withdraw the pins all at" the same time. "It will be readily understood that when tension is applied to the upper end o fthe' cable, as-by means of a steam 'driv'en winding drum, the pins 21 will be withdrawn-from the apertures 20 to release-the connections between the halves Of-the frame. k I

The pins 21" are wedge shaped to facilif tate the-ir withdrawal from the apertures.

The shearing-action of the strapsresul'ts' in le s wmp g ef ect the p nslength, and secured at the r ends 111 the cross couplings so that when tension is applied to the upper end of the cab-ledthere is a tendency for the inner ends of the straps to be lifted and to thus clamp the pins more tightly. To avoid this difficulty I secure the straps to the col- 'lars in such a manner that the straps can not assume a position in which their outer ends are above the horizontal. This can of course be done in a number of different ways. one of which. I have shown in detail in Figures l-and 5. The collarlS is provided with a pin 24 which is adapted to slide in the slot 25 of the strap to limit the pivotal movement of the strap.

When it is desired to sink a pile in clay orwater tear awaythe clay and allow the pile.

to sink of its own weight, the water and clay being carriedto the top along the sides of the pile. When thepile has reached the desired depth the water action is temporarily stopped and the cables 22 are drawn up a sufficient distance to release all of the pins 21. The lower ends of the frame tend to spread away from and out of contact with the pile when the connections are released, but in the event that theframe still adheres to the pile it is only necessary to lift the pile with the frame a few feetand then to drop them to release'the frame from the pile. The two halves of the frame can then be withdrawn from the hole by any suitable means, as'for example a winding drum and cable. During the "lifting of the frame the water under pressure is again forced through the fran1e,.as the force of the stream combined. with the lubricating action of the, water greatly facilitates the lifting of the I frame. Apertures 26 in the pipes 15 are designed especially for the purpose of supplying additional jets ofwater to assist inthe lifting operation but 'the jets of water comingfrom the apertures 26 also serve a useful purpose in cutting away certainkinds' of soil whenisinking the pile.

When layers of gravehrock, or other refra-ctory materials are encountered it is necessaryto sup'p-lementthe water action, asthe action'of the water alone will not scour out a passage for the'pile. is to provide the nose-of the pile with'a cap The usual practice of boilerplate and then to repeatedly lift and to drop the pileuntil it has forced its way jthrough theref'racto'ry layer. This practice has been; found to be very costly the material composing the layer through which it is desired to cut. It may have a single cutting edge or it may be folded over to present a double cutting edge as shown. The cutting edge may be straight or serrated or it may be a single, large tooth. The

' material from which it is made must be exceedingly hard and tough, such as armor plate or boiler plate.

The action with the cutter will be briefly explained. In gravel, the double, smoothedge cutting plate is perhaps the best. The falling of the pile will cause the cutter elements and a portion of the pile tobe embedded in the gravel. At the same time, powerful streams of water are passing out through the nozzles 17 and the apertures 26. The jets of water are more effective because they must travel in confined paths between the cutting plates and thus set in motion and clear out the gravel which is wedged between the plates. The eddying of the gravel laden stream of water about the bottom of the frame and'the pile scours out a large cavity. The process of lifting and dropping the pile and its frame is repeated as many times as is necessary to force the pile through the refractory layer, after which the water action alone will carry the pile down lower. It should be here repeated that while the impact cutters and the water jets are both working, their interaction will make each more effective than when working independently.

In the case of rock layers, the operation is much the same as with gravel, but it may be desirable to slightly alter the form of the cutters. In gravel the cutters function very largely to segregate portions of the material where the water action is most effective, but in the case of rock layers it is necessary to first crush and break the layer, and the cutting tool should be selected largely with reference to the hardness of the layer through which it is desired to cut. After the rock has been crushed by the impact, the action of the water jets between the cutter plates will carry out the bits of rock in much the same manner as with gravel.

Having thus described my invention in a full. clear, and precise description, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to. make and to use the same, what I believe to be new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is 1. A structure for clearing a path in advance of a sinking pile, said structure including pipes which are adapted to be positioned at the lateral corners of the pile, said pipes being arranged in pairs, the pipes in each pair having connections for the flow of water from one to the other of the pipes, each pair of pipes terminating in a nozzle at its lower end. both of said nozzles being positioned beneath the nose of the pile when v the structure is in position, each pair of pipes also being adapted to. be connected with a source of water under pressure and means for releasably connecting the pairs of pipes to each other.

2. A structure for supporting a pile and for sinking a hole immediately in advance of the pile, said structure including means for ejecting jets of water under pressure beneath thenose of the pile, and cutting blades for penetrating the soil, said cutting blades being so positioned thatthe jets of water will be confined in narrow channels between the cutting blades to dislodge and to remove the soil between the cutting blades.

3. Means for releasably securing a fluid transporting structure tightly against the outer surface of a pile, the fluid transporting structure consisting of two like parts which are adapted to bear against opposite sidesv through the registering apertures to lock said pair of links together.

4. A pair of fluid transporting structures which are adapted to be secured to 'bear against opposite lateral surfaces of a pile, each of said fluid transporting structures having substantially the same width as that of the pile, a plurality of links pivotally secured to each of said structures at their lateral edges, the links of said two structures being in pairs and so arranged that the free ends of the links. of each pair will overlap, registering apertures in the overlapping portions of each pair of said links, a pin which is adapted to pass through the registering apertures to lock the links of each pair of links together, and means for withdrawing said pin.

5. In combination with a pile and means for conveying a fluid under pressure to the lower end thereof, a nozzle for receiving the fluid and for discharging it directly under the nose of the pile, and cutter blades positioned adjacent said nozzle and in substantially parallel relation to each other, said cutter blades being adapted to hack their way into the soil when the pile is dropped and to thereby break up the soil, whereupon the fluid emerging from said nozzle will transport the loosened soil in the narrow channel between said cutter blades and thence upwardly along the sides of the pile.

6. A nozzle which is adapted to discharge a stream of fluid under pressure underneath the nose of a sinking pile, a pair of cutter blades secured in substantially parallel relation to each other and on opposite sides of said nozzle, and releasable means for securing said nozzle and cutter blades to the lower extremity of a pile, the arrangement being such that after the pile has been sunk to the desired depth the securing means may be released and the nozzle and the cutter blades may be Withdrawn and recovered.

7. A fluid conduit having a nozzle at one ofits ends and means at the other of its ends for connecting it with a source of fluid under pressure, means for releasably securing said fluid conduit to a pile with the nozzle directed to discharge the fluid underneath the nose of the pile, and plate like cutting blades secured to said fluid conduit, there being a cutting blade on each of two opposite sides of said nozzle with the cutting blades projecting beyond the extremity of the nozzle,

the arrangement being such that the dropping of the pile will cause said cutting blades to initially loosen the soil and the stream of fluid discharged from the nozzle between the cutting blades will further loosen the soil and will transport the soil through narrow channels bet-ween the cutting blades and thence upward along the outer side of the pile.

In testimony whereof my signature.

WALTER M. PETERS. 

